Korres Wild Rose Foundation

As you know I was sent the Wild Rose Brightening Longlasting Foundation, Concealer and Powder to try out recently. I finally got a chance to use the foundation today and here's what I thought of it...

Korres describe this product as "a natural, antiaging foundation formulated with Wild Rose extract, a potent source of vitamin C. Wild Rose extract is clinically proven to repair fine lines and wrinkles and brighten uneven skintone. A micro-patch of natural polymers with regenerating properties provides long-lasting moisturization and is clinically proven to extend the wear of the foundation. This brand favorite contains an oil-free, dermatolically tested formula that imparts a natural swash of color and a smooth, velvety finish".I am really fussy when it comes to foundation as I am unlucky in the skintone department in that I naturally have really rosy cheeks so I need a foundation with good coverage to disguise it to an extent. I won't use a foundation with less than medium to full coverage as this is what I feel most comfortable using and it has always worked for me. I always get a bit nervous using a new foundation if I'm going out in case it turns out to be rubbish but I wasn't doing a whole lot today so thought it would be a perfect time to try it out. I was sent the WRF4 shade which luckily match my skintone pretty well when I have a slight tan (which I do today, thanks to Xen Tan!). It would probably be a little dark for my natural skintone though.

So first up, I thought that the foundation was easy to apply and blend, it's definitely a thinner consistency than my usual foundation, Revlon Colourstay which can be really thick at times. It blended into my skin seamlessly and created a nice even, velvety base for my makeup. I would say the coverage is medium as it didn't cover the redness in my face as much as I would like. However, the foundation did have a brightening effect, meaning that my skin looked dewy and radiant rather than caked in makeup. You can see this from the FOTD in my previous post. The foundation has lasted well through the day and I really like the illuminating effect it has. The fact that it contains so many skin loving ingredients makes it even better.I wouldn't say this is my HG foundation as I think I would only wear this on lazy weekend day when I'm shopping or something rather than wearing it on a night out when I need alot more coverage. So, in essence, this product is great for someone who has a relatively even skintone and usually wears a medium coverage foundation. I would really recommend this foundation if that's what you're looking for. I will continue to wear this to work etc but I will still be relying on Revlon Colorstay to give me the coverage I need for a big night out.

I'm hoping to buy some Bobbi Brown foundation next week and I need some advice on ones that offer good coverage (i.e. medium to high coverage). I have had a look at the Oil Free liquid one and the foundation stick but I'm unsure which one to go for. If you have used either, let me know!

FOTD using new Korres products

Face: Korres Wild Rose Foundation in shade WRF4, Korres Wild Rose Concealer in shade WRC2 under eyes, Estee Lauder Disappear Concealer in Light for any redness around nose/blemishes, Korres Wild Rose Powder in shade WRP3 to set, Korres Monoi Oil Bronzer in Sunglow all over face, Bare Escentuals Faux Tan to contour, MAC Cream Colour Base in Shell on tops of cheekbones and cupid's bow. Eyes: Benefit Creaselss Cream Eyeshadow in RSVP all over lid as a base, ELF Mineral Eyeshadow in Natural all over lid, MAC Woodwinked in crease and outer edges of lid, Urban Decay Half Baked Eyeshadow in inner corners, Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner in Bourbon applied thickly along top lashline, MAC Pearlglide eyeliner in Black Russian applied very close to lashline to add depth, 17 eyeshadow in Ivory Coast on browbone, Lancome Cils Booster, Loreal Voluminous mascara in Carbon Black. Lips: MAC Creme De Nude lipstick, Bourjois 3D Effect liplgoss in Beige Elastic.

As you can see, I've gone Korres crazy lately and I love using their products. I wanted to show how natural the bronzer looks, it's just gorgeous. Ans as you can see in the pics, the Korres concealer really covers my dark circles. I will do a review on the foundation I used for this FOTD in my next post so look out for that.

Cosmetics: Animal Testing

A bit of a serious post today because I have seen this crop up quite a bit on YouTube lately. This is such a controversial subject in the makeup world as some people don't have a problem with cosmetics being tested on animals and other people find it abhorrent. I personally don't agree with it and wherever possible I try and buy products that haven't been tested on animals.

However, I have recently found out that Loreal test on animals and that really disappointed me as I own some of their products and that made me feel really guilty. The EU are currently phasing out animal testing and the French brand, Loreal, are apparently opposing this, which really shocks me. There's so many grey areas with this e.g. Lancome don't test on animals, however, they own Loreal who DO test on animals...so I really don't understand why they don't just stop completely because Lancome are still funding it at the end of the day. As you may know, this kind of testing has been banned in the UK thankfully so British brands are subject to this law. What I will say is that I don't think it's right, in this modern day and age, that we are still subjecting animals to that kind of cruelty. You will have noticed that I use alot of natural and organic products because, in my mind, if more companies used more of these kind of organic ingredients, then there would be no need to test man-made chemicals on animals anymore.

This post is not about me getting on my high horse and saying that I've never used a product that's been tested on animals because I know I have. I don't feel good about that and I can certainly say that to the best of my ability, I do try to choose products from ranges that don't carry out that kind of research (such as Barry M or Liz Earle). I mean, as much as I adore cosmetics, they are not vital to survival and they are, at the end of the day, a luxury product. I, for one, don't want any animal to suffer just so I can look good. That would be the most awful form of vanity.

What are your thoughts on this subject?

Brightening Highlights

Sometimes, between hairdresser appointments, I feel like my highlights need a bit of a lift as they start to look a bit dull. You know how it is, your hair gradually loses it's glossy colour so I'm always on the look out for brightening or clarifying hair product to make my blonde hair look as good as it can. I was sent a new product from the lovely people at Louise Galvin and that product was Sacred Locks Vitox Hair Brightener. I liked the fact that the product contains no SLS, Parabens, Silicone,Petrochemicals, Synthetic Fragrance or Polymers which in turn means that it's a great nautral and gentle way to get your hair looking gorgeous.
This product claims to be a "pioneering Vitamin C hair de- tox to brighten highlights that are looking lacklustre and strip away environmental or product build up. This gentle Vitamin C formulation is a natural highlight brightener to restore shine and clarity to your hair. A unique two-pack chemistry that naturally aids oxygen and vitamin uptake whilst providing a perfect platform for successful colour treatment". I really liked the sound of a product that could revitalise your hair in a gentle way as my fine hair just won't tolerate any harsh products! This kit costs £25.00 and for that you get 3 treatments. I thought this sounded quite expensive but then I saw the results...

The kit you get consists of three vials of Vitox solution and 3 jars of Vitox powder. You mix one of each together for each treatment and shake it gently until it's a foam consistency. You wet your hair, towel dry and then apply the product and leave to develop for 3 minutes. You then rinse the formula out of your hair and shampoo/condition as normal. The idea of only mixing the formula when you need it is because apparently the Vitamin C only remains effective for a short period once it's mixed with solution.

I noticed a real difference in my hair after using this treatment. My blonde highlights looked totally refreshed and alot brighter and my hair definitely had alot of bounce to it. This is a great treatment to use just before a night out or special occasion, if you feel like your hair needs a lift and can't make it to a salon to get it coloured. They also recommend it for post holiday hair (i.e. too much chlorine from the pool has turned your hair a lovely khaki colour!).

This was really easy to use and a must for anyone with blonde or highlighted hair!

Korres Wild Rose Concealer and Powder

I was sent the Korres Foundation, Concealer and Powder from the Wild Rose collection to try. I haven't tried the foundation yet (will be testing that out this weekend) but this is what I thought of the concealer and powder...Korres describes this concealer (£18.50) as providing "high coverage of eye area imperfections, such as dark circles, capillaries, blemishes and sunspots. Contains Wild Rose and vitamins C and E to add radiance, moisturize and provide antioxidant benefits". I am always searching for good under eye concealers as I have dark circles that are hereditory so no matter how much sleep I get, they are always there to some degree. I was sent the WRC2 shade.

This concealer pen has a small brush tip and you dispense the product by twisting the other end. I found that I didn't need alot of product as it's a lovely consistency that blends in really well. I would say it's a bit thicker than the likes of YSL Touche Eclat but it provides ALOT more coverage than that product! It's cheaper and a million times better than Touche Eclat in my opinion. I would totally agree that it concealed my dark circles extremely well and brightened the whole eye area.

It lasted all day long after I had set it with powder and my eyes still looked fresh when I got in from work in the evening. This product really impressed me and I love the fact that it feels so light, as no one wants cakey concealer under their eyes! This is one of the best concealers I have tried and it has better staying power than most (Benefit Erase Paste SOMETIMES feels like it has slid off a little by the end of the day). This concealer dried to the touch without feeling like it was drying out my skin. I would highly recommend this!

Next up is the Korres Wild Rose Powder in shade WRP3 (£19.50) which is described as a "velvety powder, enriched with a botanical blend for a soft, luminous finish. Wild Rose, a natural source of vitamin C, works to repair fine lines and brighten uneven skin tone". This powder is marketed as a brightening/flawless finish and I'm all about that so I was really looking forward to seeing the results.
The compact has a really nice design where the powder layer flips up to reveal a compartment for the sponge applicator. I'm not normally a fan of these kind of applicators but this one is nice and soft so I didn't mind it too much. I would probably prefer to apply it with a kabuki or powder brush though.

I applied the powder after my foundation and concealer with the sponge and I was really pleased with the result. The powder is really finely milled, silky smooth and mattified my face without looking too powdery. It doesn't give the same effect as MAC MSF Natural as that offers a more luminous, glowy effect. This powder is perfect for getting that matte flawless effect that I often crave when I am going out and want to avoid the shiny look. It set my makeup beautifully and looks really natural.

I am loving Korres makeup at the moment. I now wear their concealer, powder and bronzer and I can't fault any of them. I'm looking forward to testing their foundation as I am super fussy about foundations!

Have you tried any of these products yet and what did you think?

Nails: DIY or Salon?

I just wanted to get some feedback from you girls on whether you do your own nails at home or go to a salon to get them done professionally? I have always had good strong nails that grow really fast so luckily I've never had a need to get acrylics or gels or anything. As you can see from the pic on the right, I like my nails to be either french manicure or with a pale pink polish (pic is from my engagement party photos hence the ring...I swear it was the only proper pic I had of my nails just in case you think I'm shamelessly showing off!ha ha). You'll have to excuse my freakishly long fingers...I hate them!

I always seem to stick to light/pale nail polishes on my hands because a) It shows less when they chip and chipped nails are a pet hate of mine and b) I think it looks more 'clean'...if that makes sense? I sometimes try bright colours on my nails but as soon as I see a tiny chip, I have to remove it all straight away...obsessive much? What can I say, I'm a perfectionist and sometimes, I can't control it!ha ha

I always just do my own nails and with all the practice I've had over the years, I have become really good at it. Also, with the Kiss white nail tip pen I bought a while ago, doing a french manicure on myself is easy peasy. I buff and smooth my nails once a week, file them regularly and use hand cream almost every day so I have never seen the need to go to a salon and pay someone else to do it for me. Maybe that makes me cheap, but I would rather buy myself a new nail polish that will last me ages than use the money to go to a salon and get a couple of coats applied for the same price or more.

Shockingly, even though I'm a real girl's girl, I've only ever had a professional manicure once or twice in my life and I've never had a professional pedicure (don't like people touching my feet!)However, I do get the whole 'pampering' thing and I like to be treated just as much as the next girl. But with everyone's finances hitting hard times, I really don't like to pay for something I can do just as well myself. I have started to wonder though...am I missing out on something? I also do my own pedicures but I would quite like to see how that would compare to a professional pedicure...you will have to enlighten me as to whether it's worth it...

Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow in RSVP

I am seriously in love with this cream eyeshadow! I now own 5 of them (Strut, RSVP, Skinny Jeans, Birthday Suit and Tattle Tale). I can't get enough of them! RSVP is my favourite though, it's the perfect neutral eyeshadow base for me and it's so creamy in texture, it applies so effortlessly (I love Skinny Jeans for a more dramatic look though). These cream eyeshadows are immense coz they never crease or wear off and they really do last all day.

I really like the the cute packaging too...this is an important element to makeup as well coz if it didn't look so pretty, I wouldn't lust after it so much (shallow but true!)

Just look at the swatch on the right...so gorgeous, just the right amount of shimmer. It's such a universally flattering colour that i would go as far as to say that it would look good on anyone! You can apply it sheer or build up the colour to make it more opaque. This is definitely a product that I will be using on a daily basis as something you can really rely on.

Have you tried these yet and if so, which one gets your vote?